HTLM

Chillaxing

You know when all you want to do is sleep ALL DAY LONG?

I bet you do. Mamas always complain about not getting enough sleep - including mine!

Well, mami and I have been feeling like that all week. Mami walked around in a daze today. She wasn't her cheerful self and I wasn't in the mood to be made to sing. I'm getting more teeth and it hurts.

Mami has been really busy at her work, and she is not happy and together we are one big mess!

Today we stayed in our jammies until after lunch. We haven't done that in a few months and kind of liked it.

Mami laid on the sofa and I played with my new blocks.

No rushing around to go to the park. No getting ready to meet one of mami's friend whose baby cries all the time, no having a "quick" lunch so that I can take a "quick" nap, so that we can go out for a "quick" coffee and chat with yet another one of mami's friends.

Nada.
None of that.

Just mami and me, "chillaxing" as she says (that's a mix between chilling and relaxing. I had to explain that one to daddy) and because sometimes you "just need a break"

We make a good team, mami and me.

I tried it! FlexiBath

Yipppeeeeeee! I got a new bathtub! Yessss! I love it and so does mami and daddy. It's red, it folds up and it's called a FlexiBath.

I know what you're thinking "he doesn't have a bath tub?" and the answer is "no, I don't".

See when I was a baby mami and daddy has a special tub for me. They used the big one and I couldn't wait to go in there. Then we moved to another flat, and guess what? Our new flat does not have one! I searched and searched, but no luck.

I realised mami and daddy wash standing up and it doesn't look very fun.

So when I was asked to try the FlexiBath I jumped at the chance and made sure mami emailed the right person. We got one in our favourite colour, red! This bathtub is made for me!

I think the two guys from a country called Denmark who invented the FlexiBath also lived in small flats. They wanted a bathtub that would not take up too much space and easy to put away. Just like us!

First Impressions

When it arrived, mami and daddy looked at each other a bit worried. Mami whispered "it looks a bit small, don't you think?" Daddy just nodded and said, "well, let's try it out".

See, I'm not getting any smaller, I have a big tummy to prove it and the thought of being crammed in my other tub didn't make me very happy.

The colour was a bright red, just how we like it (both of my buggies are red). The flexible plastic is clearly of very good quality and folds completely flat.

Bath Time!

It was like a dream come true! I went into the tub, and at first I was a bit scared because I had never been in so much water.

You should see the other tub I had, it was like bathing in a bucket! Mami filled the tub and like magic it expanded! It looked twice as big and it was the perfect fit.

I could move around, play with my toys and I could actually put my hands underwater!

I saw that many people use this for travelling, but I think any family with out tubs in their homes should have this.

Best of all, I can use it until I'm 4 years old!

Mami and Daddy

Mami kept saying this tub is "absolutely perfect".

Although it does say it is "non-slip" daddy noticed that it was really slippery for me, so maybe a bit more traction on the bottom would be better.

Also, the plug is really easy to lose. I should know because I sneaked into the bathroom and took the plug with me. Mami and daddy spend a whole day looking for it!

They would like to see the plug be attached so that it's not so easy for me to take and hide.

Me

I give this bath two hands up! It does what it says, and it is a very good price. You can buy one for £29.95.

Bathtime has never been so much fun!

bye bye,

The Gallery - Mami's Playtime

I'm baaaack!

It has been a very long time since I've done anything for The Gallery. But the theme this week was playtime and of course that is my specialty!

I thought about all the fun pictures I could post like the one of me making mud cakes.

Orrrrr the one of me painting all over the kitchen floor. And even the one of me building a tall tower with daddy.

But no. I decided to ask daddy to take a picture of mami during her playtime.
That is usually after I go to bed so I had to trust he would get a good picture.

Mami's playtime

I knew mami liked to play computer, but I thought for sure I'd see a picture of her colouring or playing with my lego blocks. I had no idea she considered this as her playtime.

But there you have it - mami's playtime (wonder what's she's doing, I do all the hard work!)

bye bye,

Bilingual Corner No 3 - Nicknames!

A special badge for all bilingual families.

My friend Rebecca over at two became four made it specially for me!

Last month I blogged about choosing names in bilingual homes. This month I wanted to talk about something similar – nicknames! 

I found out the hard way that nicknames don’t necessarily make sense from one language to the next.

Nicknames are personal and sometimes can be funny, really funny! But only to those that understand the language. It may sound strange to others but only you and your family know how you got it.

Daddy calls mami another name, Yoyi.

Yes, Yoyi. Sounds funny, huh? It doesn't mean anything but its just an example of how it works better in Spanish than in English (it took me a long time to figure out mami had another name!)

Okay, you can all laugh now.

She said abuelito/grandad gave her that nickname when she was a baby and it has stuck with her.

So what do mami and daddy call me?

When I was a baby mami called me her “pollito” or little chicken because she says I was really thin and yellow!

After that she started calling me her “monito” or monkey because I would roll around everywhere.  I’ve seen the monkeys at the zoo and I look nothing like them by the way!

Now she calls me her “gordito” or “gordo” which means chubby because I love to eat and I have a very big tummy! I know, I know, doesn’t sound very nice but in Spanish it is actually a term of endearment.

When mami calls me her “gordito” her voice is soft and gentle, her eyes sparkle and she always has a smile. That’s how I know she says it with love.

Daddy didn’t like her saying that at first, but he understands now that mami is not saying it to pick on me.

Mami had a friend from a country far away whose nickname for her daughter meant something not very nice in English. She decided not to use it anymore, at least not at the playground where others could hear. It must have been a very, very bad word.

So tell us, what are your nicknames? Do your nicknames sound okay in one language but don't make sense in the other? Or make sense in English but not in your second language?

I can't wait to hear your stories!

You know what you have to do:

Think about it.
Blog about it.
Link to my site.
Come back and leave your link.
Read everyone elses posts.
Enjoy!

Bye bye

“gordo”

P.S. Please share with other friends who might want to join in each month. When you come back I will have a little suprise for you!

Running Mamas

 
Calling all Running Mamas!

Running? Training for a big race? Just getting started? Need inspiration?

Then join in!

Here is what you have to do:

• Say to yourself "I will run"
• Then get out there!
• Get someone to take a picture of you running - This is a must!

Then email mami the picture, and tell us: 

• Why you are running? (it can be anything you want)
• What you like about running (you can think of one good thing to say!)
• Any other funny story about your running and fitness

I will feature two stories each week. First two entries need to be with me by Friday the 13th of August. 

Can't wait to see you!

bye bye, 

Why mami runs

Mummy to 5K

Okay, some of you many know that mami is training for the Adidas Women's 5K Challenge to raise awareness and funds for Arthritis Research UK and also running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in October.

Today mami and daddy put me in the running buggy and we all went for a 5 mile run.  She didn't look well, and had a hard time breathing, but she made it!

After we got back I had my milk and pulled up my chair next to mami and she answered a few questions. So here it goes!

 Weeeeeeeeee!

Mami, how did you feel during the run today? Your face was really red and you were breathing very loud.

Well Little M, mami had to run slower because I'm not very fit! I've been very busy having fun with you and I have been too tired to run. Also mami has gained weight and I haven't run that far in a long time. But you and daddy were very patient with me and helped keep me going.

Oh yeah. You do eat a lot of cookies! But you also did a lot of walking, I thought you had to run the whole way?
Hmm? Yes I did walk, but its good to have a little break every once in a while. If I push myself too hard this soon I could hurt myself and not be able to run later.

Daddy mentioned that you sign up for a lot of races and then don't do them. Are you really going to do the 5K and half marathon?
He said that? Oh, well, yes! I am definitely going to do the 5K and the half marathon. I am very excited but nervous about doing them, I just have to keep at it!

A lot of mamas are doing the 5K with you. What advice can you give them?
Oh! I am no expert, but if I can run anyone can run! Drink lots of water, get a good sports bra, and good trainers. Otherwise it could be very uncomfortable! Start out slow and work your way up.

That's what daddy told you! And you are running for ARUK - do you know what causes ju-ve-ni-le ar-th-ri-tis?
Good job! You said it right! But I don't really know Little M. And that's why I am running for them, so they can do more research. We don't want kids to hurt anymore.

So how can someone get it?
Well, that's just it. It is difficult to understand, even for us adults. There is no proof that it can be passed on by mamas and daddies, however, they do know that a child's genetic make-up is a factor. It's possible that some illnesses act as a trigger, and that there is an interaction between genetic and other trigger factors.
Don't worry if you don't understand - what is important is to let others know about it and learn as we go along.

Oh, okay. I don't really know what that means, but maybe others reading this might. So why do you run if it's hard for you?
Lots of reasons. For one, it doesn't cost any money. I also like to feel the wind in my face and it is the best way to keep fit and healthy. Also because daddy likes it and we can share some time together. He started me running you know!

I can run too!
I know you can! I'm usually right behind you. But when you are bigger you can go out running with daddy and I. For now you have to stay in the buggy.

I do like it when you go fast and the buggy bounces up and down. Can you go faster next week?
Ha ha! I will sure try mi amor. But mami has to make sure she doesn't get too tired!

And that's it! In mami's own words. Oh, and please visit mami's JustGiving page to make a donation and help ARUK - we both appreciate it very very much!

Any running questions? Ask me!

bye bye